Oprah Winfrey was once offered the chance to become a U.S. ambassador by former Secretary of State Colin Powell. The politician and statesman were dining with the talk show queen at a party in Washington, D.C. five years ago when he turned to Winfrey and asked her to consider a high office within the George W. Bush administration.

She tells Parade magazine, "He said that when we were in the ambassadors room and I said, 'Gee... an ambassador! I think that would be really great.' He goes, 'Name your country, baby, name your country'." Winfrey reveals the offer has never been made since.

Instead, the TV mogul is preparing to launch her own network, OWN, which is to air its first program in January 2011.